Ribbon-cutting at the start of the 2017 Philippine Independence Parade in New York on June 4, 2017. At center are Dr. Prospero Lim (in shades) and Consul General Ma. Theresa Dizon-de Vega. (Photo by YETBO/LOVERITA)

THE organizers of the June 4 Philippine Independence parade in New York City deserve kudos from the community...PIDCI or Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. and the Philippine Consulate in New York.

The PIDCI leadership headed by Dr. Prospero Lim, and Consul General Ma. Theresa Dizon-de Vega worked hard for the success of the largest Filipino celebration of Independence Day outside the Philippines.

Aren’t we, Filipinos in the Northeast lucky, that we have Con Gen de Vega and not Mocha Uson as Consul General?

Lol.

Seriously, as a longtime and old-hand in Consulate and Filipino matters in our area, we are in safe and effective hands with the incumbent Con Gen.

If I may add, I see her as a cute diplomat.

***

Not a good week for President Trump

We will discuss American politics.

Like in prior weeks, the past week was not so good for President Trump.

I wanted to wait for the James Comey testimony, but I can’t.

I have to finish this before the press starts running.

But, I could foresee the following:

•It will be a Comey said, Trump said thing afterwards.

In the pendency of the investigation by Robert Mueller, the bar of public opinion will judge who is telling the truth.

The American public, including this writer, knows who has the propensity to tell lies.

•Hopefully, the Republicans and the Democrats will not politicize this sensitive investigation as to whether there was a secret conspiracy for illegal purpose between the Trump campaign and the Russians, America’s most bitter rival, during the last elections.

Rule of law, which is a noble tradition in this country, should be followed and not partisan politics.

•If it is found out in the conclusion of the investigation that there was collusion, and that there is ground for impeachment and the President gets impeached, that would be the end of the Trump short era in American politics.

That may also end the majority of Republicans in the House of Representatives, but not necessarily in the Senate.

•If it is concluded that there was no collusion with the Russians, the Trump era will continue, but it will be a weakened presidency.

•On the other hand, at the rate this President is fishing for enemies because of his pugnacity, it would be easier for the Democrats to defeat the Republicans and return to the White House if it will be President Trump who will be their opponent in three years.

***

This past week, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) came out with a strongly-worded criticism of President Trump and his “humiliating,” “self-destructive” tweetings.

The New York Times (NYT), on its part, came out with a column by David Leonhardt, titled “The Lawless Presidency” referring to the presidency of Donald Trump.

The editorial board of WSJ zeroed in at what it referred to as “cycle of Twitter outbursts and pointless personal feuding” of President Trump.

In a word, pugnacious.

It editorialized last Tuesday, “Some people with a propensity for self-destructive behavior can’t seem to help themselves, President Trump apparently among them.”

Specifically, Trump made himself “look small” by assailing London Mayor Sadiq Khan (after a terrorist attack in London last week), the WSJ editorial board said, and “in a humiliating coup de grace, the mayor’s office put out a statement saying he ‘has more important things to do than respond’ to Mr. Trump’s social-media insults. The U.S. commander in chief also has better uses of his time than making himself look foolish.”

WSJ concluded, “If this pattern continues, Mr. Trump may find himself running an administration with no one but his family and the Breitbart staff.”

(Breitbart is a pro-Trump news source.)

Mr. Leonhardt opened his column with this: “Democracy isn’t possible without the rule of law — the idea that consistent principles, rather than a ruler’s whims, govern society.”

In the U.S., both Democrats and Republicans have generally accepted and respected the rule of law.

Mr. Leonhardt wrote, “President Trump does not. His rejection of it distinguishes him from any other modern American leader. He has instead flirted with Louis XVI’s notion of ‘L’état, c’est moi’: The state is me — and I’ll decide which laws to follow.”

(The president of the Philippines was also quoted saying “Malacañang is mine.”)

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